The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the introduction of new regulations following the dispute that marred the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco, with CAF president Patrice Motsepe acknowledging that shortcomings in officiating and match administration contributed to the disorderly conclusion.
The final in Rabat initially ended with Senegal declared winners after a 1–0 extra-time victory over Morocco, but the outcome was later reversed by a CAF appeals panel, which awarded the title to Morocco following disciplinary action linked to Senegal’s walk-off protest over a late VAR penalty call.
The match was further overshadowed by security disturbances and allegations of unsporting conduct, including the so-called “towelgate” incident, where Senegal’s goalkeeper was allegedly disrupted by ball boys and members of the opposing setup.
Speaking to BBC Sport Africa, Motsepe said CAF had reviewed the entire episode internally.
“We’ve done good work in terms of building the confidence and the trust amongst the football community of our referees and of our VAR.
“But there are still these challenges, and we’ve recognised what the deficiencies were that led to the unfortunate incidents we had in Morocco.
“We’ve introduced new laws, new regulations which will ensure that doesn’t happen again,” he said.
He added that efforts are ongoing to strengthen refereeing standards and VAR consistency across African competitions.
“We are continuing to improve the system, because African football must be judged by the highest standards of fairness and integrity,” he said.
The incident has continued to spark debate globally, with critics arguing it has harmed CAF’s reputation. Former footballer Nigel Reo-Coker said the controversy had broader implications for African football’s global image.
“It gives other federations around the world an opportunity to laugh at CAF, to laugh at the Africa Cup of Nations, and laugh at Africa as a continent because of how this whole situation has been handled,” he said.
The Senegal Football Federation has described the decision stripping Senegal of the title as a “robbery” and has escalated the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where a final verdict is still awaited.
Motsepe confirmed that CAF will abide by the outcome of the legal proceedings.
“We are waiting for the judgment of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and African football is continuing to grow and develop,” he said. “Whatever decision comes, we will respect and implement.”
